Everything companies, PSUs and the government need to know about Corporate Social Responsibility in Bihar: where the money goes, where it is needed, and how to invest.
Source: Ministry of Corporate Affairs data reported in Parliament (Rajya Sabha Unstarred Q. 1010 and Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. 2338, December 2025). Per-resident figures use Census 2011 population.
"Bihar CSR" refers to Corporate Social Responsibility spending by companies in the state of Bihar under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013. Companies above certain profit, turnover or net worth thresholds must spend 2% of their average net profit on approved social activities.
CSR in Bihar has grown quickly, from ₹89.89 crore in FY 2020-21 to ₹260.53 crore in FY 2023-24. Yet Bihar, home to about 1 in 11 Indians, still receives only about 1% of the CSR that can be traced to a state. Private companies gave 65% of Bihar's CSR in FY 2023-24 and PSUs gave 35%.
| Financial year | Total CSR in Bihar | PSU | Private (non-PSU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020-21 | ₹89.89 Cr | ₹7.51 Cr | ₹82.38 Cr |
| FY 2021-22 | ₹178.97 Cr | ₹56.48 Cr | ₹122.50 Cr |
| FY 2022-23 | ₹241.41 Cr | ₹110.29 Cr | ₹131.12 Cr |
| FY 2023-24 | ₹260.53 Cr | ₹91.13 Cr | ₹169.40 Cr |
Source: MCA, Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question 1010 (9 December 2025).
CSR in Bihar is highly concentrated. In FY 2023-24, Muzaffarpur (₹52.00 Cr) and Patna (₹38.72 Cr) received about 35% of the total, while 12 of 38 districts received under ₹1 Cr each. Arwal and Sheikhpura received none.
Bihar's biggest development gaps are also where CSR can achieve the most.
42.9% of Bihar's children under five are stunted (NFHS-5).
Bihar has India's lowest literacy rate at 61.8% (Census 2011).
Strengthening rural health centres, diagnostics and mobile clinics.
Placement-linked skilling for a young state with high migration.
The Kosi-Seemanchal flood belt received just ₹8.92 Cr of CSR in FY 2023-24.
Tackling arsenic in groundwater along the Ganga.
Companies spent ₹260.53 crore on CSR in Bihar in FY 2023-24, up from ₹89.89 crore in FY 2020-21, according to Ministry of Corporate Affairs data reported in Parliament. That is about 1% of India's state-attributed CSR.
CSR law asks companies to prefer the local areas where they operate. Bihar has relatively few large industrial bases, so fewer companies have a natural local mandate there. A shortage of investment-ready projects and perceived execution risk also play a part.
In FY 2023-24, Muzaffarpur (₹52.00 crore) and Patna (₹38.72 crore) received the most, followed by Begusarai, Bhojpur, Gaya and Bhagalpur.
Child nutrition, foundational learning, primary healthcare, skilling with job placement, flood resilience, women's enterprise and safe drinking water are the areas where Bihar's needs are greatest and CSR can achieve the most.
Choose a priority sector and district, select a CSR-1-registered implementing partner, align with the district administration, and set a baseline to measure outcomes. Orvys can design and manage the full programme for you.
Yes. CSR spending anywhere in India counts toward a company's obligation, provided the activity falls under Schedule VII and is carried out directly or through an eligible implementing agency.
We design, deliver and measure CSR programmes across Bihar's 38 districts.
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